The One With "My Ben"

Rachel sighed as she looked down at her only slightly pregnant belly.

My beautiful baby is sitting inside there… what a mess I am making between me and Ross… I should really just move on or sort things out…

Rachel grabbed her handbag and headed out of the apartment, she needed some fresh air.

The walk will do me good… I can think over my relationship with Ross and work things out… hopefully

Rachel stepped out of the apartment building and onto the cold and windy street of New York City. Looking from side to side she buttoned up her coat and turned right.

The fresh air is doing me good… although I still can't help but think of Ross… maybe it would just be best if I moved on. He left the apartment that morning and I think the conversation between us signaled an end… Ross and I are officially over.

Rachel kept walking down the street, smiling at the shopping centre across the road as she waited for the traffic to pass on her way to the shopping centre.

Some retail therapy might do me some good… I reckon I should start getting some maternity clothes soon too… hopefully they have a Ralph Lauren outlet store

Rachel stepped inside the warmth of the shopping centre and pulled her credit card out of her purse. This was the one thing today that would make her feel better about herself.

Ahh… clothes, shops… Ross… money, bags… Ross….

Rachel shook her head as Ross' name kept popping up

"Ahh, Bloomingdales!" Rachel smiled as she headed across the centre to her favorite boutique.

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Rachel spent hours simply browsing through the contents of each of her favorite boutiques and shops. Her mind racing with thoughts of what could have been between her and Ross.

Rachel clutched all her shopping bags in both hands and headed out the door; she needed to go home. It was almost lunch time. Rachel stepped out of the shop, accidently running into someone while her shopping bags fell absolutely everywhere.

Rachel couldn't handle it, she broke down in tears. All her hormones went crazy and she was a mess.

"I… ma'am, I am so sorry." The gentlemen standing in front of her quickly apologized and picked up her bags for her.

"That… is ok." Rachel took a deep breath in. "I just have a lot on my mind at the moment…"



"Well, I will help you take these bags to your car… and then do you want to get a coffee together?" The gentlemen asked.

"That… umm… would be nice." Rachel smiled at him. "I walked here though."

"That is ok; we can drop them back to your apartment. How far away do you live?" He asked.

A stranger? In my apartment block? Hmm… oh well, maybe the excitement will take my mind of things.

"Umm… I live at the Garden's apartment block." Rachel replied.

"Me too… I tell you what, we will drop these bags to your apartment… and then there is this great coffee shop on the other side of the city. It only takes about 20 minutes to get there, but it is beautiful scenery… that might help clear your head." He replied.

Good… someone to talk to and a new side to the city, I like this guy already

"That sounds great." She smiled, and the two of them headed up to her apartment with the large mass of shopping bags.

Rachel puffed as they reached the top of the stairs to her apartment. "That is a killer walk."

Rachel smiled. "Tell me about it."

Rachel popped the key in the lock and pushed the door open; the man followed in behind her and put her bags down on the couch.

"Do you want a drink?" Rachel asked.

"No thanks, let's go and get coffee." He replied. "We could catch the subway onto the other side of the city."

Rachel nodded. "Okay, let's be spontaneous." She paused. "Goodness knows I need the excitement in my life."

Excitement… of course I lack that in my life… between my boyfriend cheating on me, an unplanned pregnancy, and a new place to live and a complete mistake of a night… I have no excitement in my life.

Rachel sarcastically said to herself.

He smiled. "I am Ben, by the way."

Rachel smiled as she stuck out his hand, she shook it. "I am Rachel."

He smiled. "That is pretty."

Rachel blushed and they headed back down the apartment stairs, down the road and down to the subway.



"How long have you lived in New York for?" Ben asked her.

"Umm…. A few years now." She paused. "I have only lived on this side of the city for a few months; my friends live on the other side."

Please don't ask why I moved away… it could get awkward if I babble on for too long

"Why did you move away from them all?" Ben asked, but then paused. "Sorry, I don't mean to be intrusive… I have a bad habit of that."

Rachel smiled. "No that is ok." She paused. "I used to date one of the guys in my friendship group… if that is what you would call it." She paused again. "Anyway, we had a nasty break up… so I moved over this side of the city." Ben nodded and Rachel spoke up again. "But don't worry about my boring story, tell me about yourself."

Ben smiled at her as they stepped on to the subway and began heading to the other side of the city. "Well, I have lived in New York my whole life… in the Gardens Apartment block. My Mum and I lived together for years, but she passed away from cancer and to honor her memory I stayed living where we had all our memories together."

"Wow, I am so sorry." Rachel said but Ben shook his head.

"Don't worry about it…" he paused. "I meet beautiful, sexy women in the building all the time."

Me? Beautiful and sexy? In a balloon kind of way… maybe.

Rachel smiled at Ben. "What do you do for a living?"

Ben blushed. "Oh, I am sorry…" Rachel began, but Ben interrupted her.

"No, that is okay… I am actually a hairdresser." Ben said and Rachel looked at him, checking he was being serious.

"Wow… that is an umm… interesting profession." Rachel replied and Ben smiled at her.

"I know, well… I am a manager of a hair dressing shop. It used to be my Mum's."

Rachel nodded at him and they both stepped out of the carriage onto the platform and headed across the street.

"Here it is." Ben said, and Rachel gasped as he pointed across the road at the Central Perk. "Are you okay?"

Rachel nodded. "I am fine, my umm… you know that guy I was telling you about? The one that I had a nasty break up with? He normally spends his weekends in there with my other friends." Rachel replied.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"



Rachel shook her head. "No, come on… I have to face him at some point in time."

Ben and Rachel stepped inside the coffee house and Ross turned around.

"Rachel?"

Rachel coughed awkwardly and hung her coat near the door.

"Rachel, who is this?" Ross asked with agitation.

"Ross, meet Ben, Ben this is Ross. The one I was telling you about." Rachel said.

Ben nodded and Ross awkwardly shook his hand, and then turned to Rachel.

"Are you already seeing other people? Didn't the other night mean anything?" Ross asked.

"Oh… umm… no, we aren't…" Ben began speaking but Rachel interrupted him.

Maybe if I say yes… Ross will start to move on too, we are just hurting each other by staying single… this will make it better

"Yes, this is Ben. This is my Ben. My beautiful boyfriend." Rachel replied and then kissed Ben's cheek while entwining her fingers in his.

Ross dropped his jaw at her. "Rachel, are we really over?"

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Okay… so please read and review… sorry for the wait in updating… and also, this could be the last chapter for a while…. I am not sure yet!